Local media said on Saturday that a large landslide that destroyed a secluded village in northern Papua New Guinea buried over 300 persons and over 1,100 buildings.
The avalanche that struck Kaokalam village in Enga Province, some 600 km (370 miles) northwest of the capital Port Moresby, at around three in the morning on Friday is thought to have killed hundreds of people (1900 GMT on Thursday).
Over 300 persons and 1,182 houses were buried in the landslide in the Pacific island north of Australia, according to the Papua New Guinea Post Courier, which quoted Aimos Akem, a member of the nation’s parliament. When Reuters reached out to Akem via social media for comment, he did not reply right away.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said on Saturday that the landslide in the province’s Mulitaka district had affected over six settlements.
“For additional assessments on the extent of the damage and casualties, Australia’s High
Commission in Port Moresby is in close contact with PNG authorities,” a DFAT official stated in a statement.
Four bodies have been removed from the region after rescue personnel arrived at the sparsely populated area, where the death toll is anticipated to grow, according to a report released by the Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Saturday.
According to the station, the landslide has blocked highway access, leaving only helicopters to get to the area.
In social media footage shared by villager Ninga Role, individuals could be seen scrambling over boulders, toppled trees, and dirt mounds in an attempt to find survivors. In the background, there was the sound of women crying.
According to Prime Minister James Marape, relief and recovery activities were being supported by the Defense Force, the Department of Works and Highways, and disaster officials.
